Interviews

October 13, 2014

If you’re reading this, it’s quite possible that you take cycling for granted. It’s quite possible that cycling is something you used to do around your neighbourhood, for fun, as a teenager. Perhaps nowadays you ride when you escape the city, enjoying more scenic ‘scapes. Or perhaps you’ve chosen to ditch the train or bus and commute via bike each morning and afternoon.

Despite growing up in Nairobi, where I’d see hundreds of people cycling to town each morning, as I rode the bus to school – even I find myself forgetting just how much of a life-line a bicycle can be to so many people on our continent.

That’s why I’m pleased to share today’s interview with you and, with it, a new perspective on the joys of cycling.

Lauren Thomas, co-founder of Mozambikes (below), left Wall Street to find a different way to use finance to make more of an impact. Read on for her story and then find out how a bike can be a shop, a water supply, a job, equality for women, a school bus, family time, a delivery van and more!

What’s your passion?

I have a lot of passion! Passion for bicycles as a global solution, passion for sustainable projects that capacitate people to improve their own quality of life and, certainly passion for Africa. Mozambikes incorporates all of these into one project that is fighting poverty in rural Mozambique, using bicycles as tools for income generation. We distribute bicycles to those who truly need them, but also are seeking to build a better bicycle industry overall in Africa. This means better promotion of bicycle safety, more buffered bicycle lanes, education about how to care for bicycles and – simply – teaching more people to ride bicycles, especially women!

What inspired Mozambikes?

My co-founder and I were on a road trip throughout Mozambique and were struck by how many people walk such long distances in the country. Often without shoes and with heavy loads on their heads, walking such distances that we couldn’t even see their destination. We pulled over to begin talking with people about why bicycles weren’t more heavily utilized, and the answers were clear: the only bikes sold locally are poor quality and still too costly for the people who really need them. Imagine saving months of salary for a bike that breaks in 3 months!! We knew we could design a better model to get bikes into the market.

What has been your greatest obstacle/challenge?

In order for our bikes to be affordable, we have to bring in a container of components at a time. This means that at each container, we have to fund the capital for another 1,000 bikes. In other parts of the world, a purchase of inventory (where 100% can be secured by the collateral) is not so difficult to attain but, in Mozambique, lending rates exceed 20%. We are currently looking out for patient capital investors or other sources of social funding that can give us an inventory line and take away this challenge.

How have you dealt with/overcome this challenge?

In addition to seeking patient capital, as discussed above, we use other funding opportunities to help us bring in bicycles. We raise funds from individuals via a “Donate a Bike” campaign on our website, and this October we have launched a crowdfund that will not only be used to bring in bicycles, but will also help us to build a bigger and more consistent community for regular support. We are really excited about the traction that this crowdfund is getting – our site has had over 13,000 visits!

What has your greatest achievement been?

Our growth has been tremendous since we brought over our first bikes at the end of 2011. We have over 2,500 bicycles on the ground and are gaining more and more attention each day. As a general achievement I think watching Mozambikes blossom from a “passion project” into a booming operation has been amazing.

Where will you be in 10 years?

In 10 years, we hope to be in every Province and District of Mozambique and in surrounding countries across Southern and Eastern Africa. We hope to have regular safety campaigns, technician trainings and bicycle riding workshops. Mozambikes will have regular corporate sponsors around the world to reduce our dependency on individuals.

I hope that I will be acting as an Advisor or Board member for Mozambikes, and therefore also have my hand in other social initiatives targeted towards Africa and the bottom of the pyramid. Why? Because I strongly believe that we have not reached success as long as it is still so dependent on its Founders. Mozambikes currently has local Mozambican technicians building our bikes, and a local sales agent but we need to find amazing Managers that carry out the day-to-day operations. Only then will I know that Mozambikes is something that will help people over the long-term. And, then I will have the fortune of helping to build other projects that can reach out to improve the quality of life for people less fortunate.

How does Africa inspire you?

The people of Africa work so hard, and achieve so much, with so little. Women who walk 3 hours to reach their farming plots, only to work in the fields all day and then walk home at night with 10 kilos of crops on their head – just to feed their children… These people inspire me every day and I fight to grow Mozambikes to help each and every one of them.

Anything we should look out for in the coming weeks/months/year?

Something to look out for now – our crowdfund campaign! Please consider making a contribution – as little as $15 can make a tremendous difference in the lives of rural Mozambicans. We also encourage everyone to share the campaign, as the power of social media and personal emails is so powerful these days in spreading important messages. Check out the video and details of the campaign here.

July 1, 2014

I met Yvonne Nicholson, the Zambian born UK based designer behind Evie Nix, at the African Market at Old Spitalfields in London. It’s her I have to thank for the fabulous kitenge/ankara/wax print corset that I walked away with that day.

Evie Nix offers unique African print corsets, jewellery and accessories, all handmade with love. I asked Yvonne a few questions about what drives and inspires her work.

What's your passion?

I've always had a passion for textiles, in particular African-inspired wax prints. I just love the vibrancy and boldness of the prints. I also take inspiration from the Hollywood screen sirens and the theatrical nature of Victorian fashion.

What inspired you to become a fashion designer?

As far as I can remember it’s always felt natural for me to express myself visually. I've always enjoyed taking on crafty projects, making clothes for my Sindy dolls (when I was a young girl), collecting bits of fabric, wallpapers – you name it, just for the sheer joy.

How does Africa inspire you?

I'm inspired by the rich diverse culture of the African continent on the whole, be it the people, food, music, its landscape, the smells …! There is so much to explore and discover.

Anything we should look out for in the coming weeks/months/year?

In the months ahead you can expect more quirky, fun, colourful creations from me. I'll be exploring new shapes and forms with added texture. I'm also planning on launching an exciting line of fun clutch bags for 2015.

The giveaway

Yvonne kindly offered to treat one of you wonderful readers with this vibrant earring and cuff bracelet set.

Details:

This contest is open to US and UK residents only

Giveaway ends at 23:59 GMT on Tuesday, 8th July 2014

The winner will be contacted via email and will have 7 days to respond with address details. If there is no response within 7 days, a new winner will be drawn.

March 6, 2014

Last week I had the pleasure of finally meeting Annegret Affolderbach, the founder of London-based womenswear label, Choolips, in person.

Having featured Choolips designs on the blog before, it was great to meet the amazing woman behind the brand. Annegret's passion for what she's doing – championing high quality craftsmanship; reviving ancient textile traditions; empowering the local artisans and entrepreneurs behind them; operating with small water and carbon footprints – is infectious. She is a rebel, in the best sense of the word, on a mission to make the world a better place. With exquisite style and beautiful stories. Yes, we can have all this!

February 6, 2014

I'm delighted to share this interview with Dayo Forster, Co-Founder of Toghal, a new textile-based homeware brand. Inspired by an appreciation of the legacy of Africa's textile heritage in the world and a love of technology, Toghal is about reimagining traditional textiles to create something iconic and fresh.

The Asilia team and I have had the great pleasure of working with Dayo to bring the brand to life. It's been a fantastic project and the kind of challenge that we thrive on: how to create a brand that is contemporary and global, while at the same time, rooted in or inspired by a particular culture. I am also pleased to welcome Dayo as a sponsor of Afri-love!

Dayo's story indeed exemplifies the beauty of collaboration and also, the crucial importance of preparation – research, learning, planning, and partnership. It's a great example of how, by setting off to solve a problem you've experienced in your own life, you can create an enterprise that serves others.

Enjoy and make sure to check out the 'Free Bag Friday' give-away details, below the interview.

December 30, 2013

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for reading these posts and engaging with me. I'm so happy that this blog has given me a platform to meet so many incredible people; to be continuously inspired and; to share the sometimes tough, but always enlightening, lessons that business and life in general throw my way. I look forward to more great discoveries and learning, new relationships and further exchange in 2014!

For this year's round-up, I've decided to do things a little bit different and feature the posts that were most popular each month. Enjoy.

November 19, 2013

My father, Paul Kitololo, has been an entrepreneur for all of my life. At the height of a successful career in the corporate world, he gave up the regular paycheck, the company car and, in many people's opinion – his sanity – in order to start his own tour company. Over the next 3 decades, Private Safaris grew to be one of the most prestigious tour companies in Kenya and East Africa. I remember spending my Saturday mornings at his office as a child, busying myself on his secretaries typewriter (creating my 'zine). I am still in awe at how my father successfully run the company while also: participating in or chairing several associations and boards; managing the Kenya Special Olympics team; writing a novel, Shortcut to Hell(published in 1983); making it to every single one of my parent-teacher evenings, as well as sports days and plays and; generally being so involved in my life.

July 31, 2013

I've known animator, editor, director – and ultimately, artist – Ng'endo Mukii since our high school days, over a decade ago. I'm so proud and inspired, witnessing her achievements and the path that she is paving for other young, female, animators, filmmakers and artists, who are finding interesting ways to tell important stories.

Ng'endo's animation portfolio spans advertising campaigns, music videos, children's animated stories and experimental work. However, it is her short film, Yellow Fever, that has really prompted the world to stand up and take notice of her unique expression. Along with screenings around the world and several nominations, Yellow Fever has won awards at the Kenya International Film Festival, Africa Magic Viewer's Choice Awards and the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival. In the remaining months of 2013 alone, there are screenings lined up in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, the US and France.

In this interview Ng'endo talks about how she settled on her current medium of choice; social responsibility as an artist; the importance of having a caring network to provide you with productive critique and; surrendering to (and preparing for) the path that fate has set out for you.

July 17, 2013

I virtually met Sanura Weathers around a year ago, thanks to the power of social media. We crossed paths through some common interest, most likely glorious food. I only recently discovered that Sanura and I are in the same profession when it comes to our day jobs – graphic design. It's phenomenal that Sanura has managed to create and successfully maintain not one, but two juicy food blogs, on the side: My Life Runs on Food and Kwanzaa Culinarians. What's more, she's also prepared a lot of the wonderful meals that she shares on them!

My Life Runs on Food has earned Sanura accolades such as PBS's Top Food Blogs of 2012 and a Black Weblog award for Best Food Blog. Her story goes to show that making time to nurture your passion pays! Even if you can't devote your regular working hours to it, there is scope for it to develop into a satisfying side hustle that can change your world (and that of so many others!).

June 26, 2013

Today I'm happy to share this interview with artist, Robyn Gordon, whose work I've been admiring for a while. I first came across Robyn via Pinterest as the contents of her wonderfully curated boards resonated so much with what I like. I then discovered that Robyn was an artist herself, living and working in KwaZulu Natal. Inspired by the touch and feel of nature, Robyn creates wooden totems, panels and even quilts, using wire, beads and found objects. These pieces weave a narrative of her life in South Africa - the land, symbols of Africa and her British ancestry. Robyn shares this quote on her website:

"I have tried to study African Art in order to assimilate it into my being, not to copy, but to seek the essence of it, it's spirit and quality of art."

June 24, 2013

Last month on the blog, I started to tackle that contentious question of what constitutes 'African'. There was no definitive conclusion of course but, instead, several other questions on the path to addressing the one. Recent events have brought me back to reflecting upon one of the points of discussion – the issue of limiting labels.

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